26Jan

There is a new trend in the frugal world and we’re not sure yet how much we support it. It’s a trend by frugal consumers who want to cut their grocery expenses even more. They’re starting to frequent websites that sell out-of-date food products at a discounted price. Is this something that you would consider doing to save money on groceries?

The websites sell food products that can not be sold in normal grocery stores anymore because they are past their “best if used by” dates. People who support this program say that although the products are past the “best by” date they aren’t actually past the “use by” or expiration date. In other words, they might not be at their best anymore but they are still safe to eat.

It’s true that consumers can save a lot of money by doing their grocery shopping this way. The prices for these items are often half off what they would be if bought in the store prior to their best by date expiration. And consumers are definitely interested with sales on these sites increasing dramatically in the past year.

There may also be a benefit to the community because of these sites. It is estimated that £18 billion worth of food goes into Britain’s landfills every year. Instead of being wasted, it’s now being consumed. That means that there’s a lot less food going into the dump which is certainly good for the earth and the people living in the community.

But is this a smart trend? Should people be eating food that has gone past its shelf life? The truth is that there are probably some items that are safe to buy despite being past their “best by” dates and some items that you probably shouldn’t chance it with. The rule of thumb to follow is that it’s safe to consume food that hasn’t passed its “used by” date assuming that it’s been stored properly.

We still think that a combination of discount codes, vouchers and shopping for sale items is the best way to save money on groceries but this certainly provides one more option for the frugal shopper. Is it something that you’re going to try?

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2 Comments

I think this article is interesting because it brings about the idea of how far someone will go to save money. Could they be risking their health by purchasing groceries that have already passed the “sell by date”? There is no doubt in my mind that most people, if they could afford it, would prefer to buy groceries that were not expired. But over the past year, many people’s opinions on saving money have changed. Personally, I would cut back in other areas of my spending before I bought expired food. Another thing to consider though is that when I buy my groceries, I am only buying for myself. I think this could be a great option for big families who go through food quickly.

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Meet the Editors

Lizzie, EditorLizzie loves nothing more than to write about fashion, beauty and all things homely. While she furiously shops online for the latest trends, she bakes cupcakes and sips endless amounts of tea.

Kristin, EditorKristin loves writing about fashion, books, shopping and beauty. Her favourite city is London and she loves to hunt down a deal in the capital!

shem, Managing EditorShem is all about travel and she will talk and write about it at every possible opportunity! She also loves fruit beers and going to gigs.